Last week, while I was busy at the AFI FEST 2007 I missed out on another film event here in Los Angeles: the 4th Annual Artivist Film Festival, which was held between Nov. 8-11 at the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.
According to its press release, Artivist — short for Activist Artist — "is the first international film festival and awards dedicated to addressing Global Consciousness (Human Rights, Children's Advocacy, Environmental Preservation, and Animal Rights)."
This year's Artivist Award honorees were Ted Danson, Alyssa Milano, and Claes Nobel (from the Nobel family).
Since its inception in 2004, the Artivist Film Festival has screened 223 films from about 50 countries. Among the films presented this year were Darryl Roberts' America the Beautiful, about Americans' obsession with youth and beauty; Peter Joseph's Zeitgeist (see below), which is supposed to address myths about democracy both in the U.S. and elsewhere (I haven't watched the video, yet); and Roberto Mader's Condor, a depiction of the lasting consequences — on a personal level — of Latin America's repressive governments.
Also this year, there was some angry controversy because Artivist (see "Environmental Preservation" above) reportedly accepted financial sponsorship from Brazil's government-owned oil giant Petrobrás, which has been accused of drilling in protected and environmentally fragile areas in the Amazon basin.
A "Best of Artivist Fest" will take place in Lisbon on Dec. 1-2. That will be followed by London screenings on Dec. 8-9.
LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA AFI FEST Premiere
AFI FEST 2007 Award Winners – Article
AFI FEST 2007 – Sunday, Nov. 11
CHRIS & DON. A LOVE STORY at the AFI FEST 2007
AFI FEST 2007 – Saturday, Nov. 10
AFI FEST 2007 – Friday, Nov. 9
AFI FEST 2007 – Thursday, Nov. 8
Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Robert Redford at LIONS FOR LAMBS Premiere
AFI FEST 2007 – Wednesday, Nov. 7